Vendée Globe

On the 1000hrs GMT update Loïck Peyron (Gitana Eighty) holds on to his most of his lead, but it is Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux) who is stepping up to the plate as his most likely challenger. Could Le Cam become the sixth different leader?

Peyron’s margin this morning was 27.5 miles but it is Le Cam who is now up to second, who is sailing a higher angle, banking something and looking like he might either cross behind the leader, or generally work out to the west. One thing is certain, that VM Matériaux, a 2004 Lombard design which was updated by Juan K, is certainly competitive, and Roland Jourdain on another 2004 design has been consistently fast when he has not had the odd minor hiccup.

The duelling pair in the west, Riou (PRB) and Le Cléac’h (Brit Air) are tracking parallel courses for the moment and in terms of  DTF (distance to finish) are less than a mile apart.

Mike Golding has the bit between his teeth on Ecover 3 and has again made a small advance on the leaders – albeit a small one – but he looks to have left Brian Thompson (Bahrain Team Pindar) for the moment, gaining about 20 miles, and also continues to move away from Jérémie Beyou on Delta Dore. Golding is tenth and will be looking now to Marc Guillemot (Safran) who he has gained two miles in the intervening four hours.

Dee Caffari has dropped to 14th, losing out to Arnaud Boissiers (Akena Vérandas) for the time being, while in the battle of the British girls, Sam Davies  - out to the west - has made a gain of about 10 miles on her.

Dominic Wavre (Temenos 2), 15th,  continues to make good progress but he is finding Davies a tough nut to crack meantime., although he was registering a 2 knots speed advantage at the moment and was in much the same westerly lane as ROXY. 

The Peyron pace is quick and Seb Josse and Jean Pierre Dick are having to live with that for the moment at the front of the Vendée Globe fleet, passing 115 miles to the west of the Canary Islands this morning.
Peyron (Gitana Eighty) more than doubled his overnight lead, stretching to 30 miles ahead of second place Josse (BT) who is about 22-25 miles to the west, while Jean Le Cam (VM Matériaux)  to the east maintains third 1.6 miles behind, and about 35 miles to the east.
There is now about 110 miles of lateral separation west to east between the tussling pair of Armel Le Cléac’h (Brit Air), 7th, Vincent Riou (PRB), 8th, in the west and Le Cam in the east.  
While Peyron has returned consistently the highest average speeds since the last poll, out to the west a duel has been going on between 2004 winner Riou and Le Cléac’h who are about 6 miles apart this morning, but were within 1.5 miles of each other in the very early hours, when they were both hit by a 30 knots squall and heavy rain shower.
Le Cléac’h noted sagely:
“These squalls come to remind us we are not on a pleasure cruise.”
The pack chasing after the leaders is now led by a certain Yann Elies (Generali), now up to 5th, who has inherited certain family traits. In the Aurore Race, his father Patrick was given the nickname of the "Red Louse", as he was always very difficult to shake off aboard his red boat. Yann appears to follow in his father's footsteps: Yesterday, he said he wanted to be within fifty miles of the leader, but now he is only 15 miles from Jean-Pierre Dick and 25 from Sébastien Josse.
Mike Golding stepped back into the top 10 after a solid night on Ecover 3, returning the best averages of his immediate rivals, also making a small gain on the lead boats. He has been keeping Brian Thompson on Bahrain Team Pindar a consistent 35 miles behind and both boats were returning the same averages
Derek Hatfield has made about 40 miles since he started again in modest winds at 01h GMT early this morning on Algimouss Spirit of Canada, after fixing rig and electrical problems, but he has a massive mental task ahead of him, starting five and a half days later than the leaders and some 1270 miles or so behind the leading pack, with light winds expected all the way across Biscay at least.
Swiss skipper Bernard Stamm (Cheminées Pouljoulat) was sailing in light winds also this morning, making about 9 knots with over 1000 miles to catch on the leaders, after re-starting yesterday morning.
Mike Golding stepped back into the top 10 after a solid night on Ecover 3, returning the best averages of his immediate rivals, also making a small gain on the lead boats, while race rookie Jonny Malbon will be a happier man aboard Artemis this morning having taken a place overnight to lie 18th. His next target will is compatriot Steve White on Toe in the Water some 50 miles ahead.

Séb Josse (BT), 3rd, :  has just explained on radio vacs: Good sailing conditions as he passes by Canaries. 22 knots of wind.  Remains cautious as needs to get her back on track occasionally.  Different pace from 2004, as boats are faster, good weather in this area and so many competitors close together.  Weather looks a bit complicated ahead, as trade winds will ease off and do not look very stable.  Today, lot of time out on deck checking pilots are working and making small adjustments. Sleeping OK on his "bean-bag".  For Doldrums, it does not look easy, but could change in a couple of days.  Not worried about Riou off to the west, as not the priority for him at the moment.
 

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